How Much Does It Cost To Adopt A Child

Even if adopting a child is a very selfless decision, adoption does not come cheap most of the time. Though some adoptions come free, other kinds of adoptions can cost thousands of dollars. So before you fully decide on adopting a child, find out the costs involved in adopting and see to it whether you can afford the process or not.

Typical Cost Of Adopting A Child

The cost of adoption depends on the type of adoption you are going for.

Foster care adoption costs $0 to $2,500.

Licensed private agency domestic adoptions cost $5,000 to $40,000+.

Independent domestic adoptions cost $8,000 to $40,000+.

Inter-country adoptions can start from $7,000 to $70,000.

Included In The Price Of Adopting A Child

All these prices include universal expenses for adopting a child such as legal expenses (court and lawyer) and home study expenses. There are adoption expenses, however, specific to each type of adoption such as the following:

Factors That Affect The Price Of Adopting A Child

Age of the child. Adopting a baby usually costs more as compared to adopting an older child. Learn more on how much it costs to adopt a baby.

Condition of the child. A child with no medical history and no health problems can cost more to adopt. This is true because application fees are lower when the child becomes more difficult to place. Since children with health problems and emotional, mental, and social problems are more difficult to place, their adoption fees are usually lower.

Geographical location. If you are considering domestic adoption, the cost of adopting a child can vary depending on your state. Rules, requirements, and fees vary from state to state usually. The same is true when speaking of inter-country adoptions. Some countries may have higher fees when it comes to adopting children. This is without mentioning yet your travel expenses to the specific country of your choice. For instance, in India, adoption costs start from $13,000 to $16,000 plus travel expenses while in Russia, the cost is around $50,000 plus travel.

Agency. Adoption agencies can be licensed or unlicensed. Obviously, licensed agencies collect higher fees than their counterparts. Moreover, the adoption fees collected by agencies depend usually on what they will be doing for you. If you delegate everything to the agency including looking for expectant mothers for you, the price will go higher as compared to finding an expectant mother yourself.

Additional Costs

Inter-country adoptions may mean more extra fees for you including processing of visas, food and accommodation expenses, and the like.

If you need to find prospective parents from whom you can adopt a baby from, advertisements can be a lot of help. Advertising costs start from $500 to $5,000.

Once the adoption is over, you have to pay for the living expenses of your child including foods, toys, clothing, healthcare, and education. The cost to raise a child is usually $8,000 to $23,000 a year.

Tips Before You Decide To Adopt A Child

Be very sure of your decision of adopting a child. Children up for adoption need a loving home so you and your spouse must be ready with your responsibility of giving not only a home but as well as love, care, and support to your child. Also, be prepared not only emotionally and mentally when adopting a child. You must be financially ready when adopting a child because raising a child can mean serious money in the way.

Go for the type of adoption that will be most convenient for you. You may want to compare the costs as well as processing time. Take note that when you go for an inter-country adoption, the price may be very expensive but you have an assurance that you get to keep the child before you even bring him home. On the other hand, domestic adoptions may be cheaper but you have to wait six months after bringing home the child before the adoption can be finalized.

If you are adopting a child through an agency, make sure to choose a licensed and reputable agency. A good agency can help you smoothly process the adoption as well as price you reasonably for the adoption. The same is true for inter-country adoptions.

If you want to adopt internationally, decide first the country where you want to adopt a child from. Compare costs, requirements, and details from one country to another so you can find the best destination to get your child from.